Roque: I am not a fugitive

MANILA, Philippines — Now an object of a police manhunt, former Duterte administration spokesman Harry Roque Jr. scoffs at being called a fugitive.

On Facebook Live, Roque declared: “I am not a fugitive. As an ordinary person, I am just exercising my right. I know that the lawmakers are powerful.”

The House quad committee has a standing order for Roque’s arrest over his failure to submit documents related to his assets, which lawmakers say may be connected to criminal activities of Philippine offshore gaming
 operators (POGO).

“I know that there are so many but as an ordinary person, I have my protection called the Bill of Rights under the Constitution,” he said.

Roque added that he would await the decision of the Supreme Court on his motion questioning the legality of the warrant of arrest issued by the quad committee.

“If the Supreme Court rules to provide the documents, I will comply but I will wait for the decision of the high tribunal and if I was cited in contempt of Congress, I will accept that because I am urging the Filipino people to issue a contempt of the people against the quad committee and this Congress,” Roque said.

He insisted he has no unexplained wealth as alleged by members of the quad panel.

“They want to charge me for unexplained wealth, excuse me, my family was able to send me in the United States, in London and then at the University of the Philippines, this could not be considered as unexplained wealth,” Roque added.

Roque said that he will not allow himself to again be detained at the House of Representatives where he spent 24 hours in detention after being cited in contempt.

“My freedom is very important to me. I will no longer surrender my freedom just like what happened when I surrendered it for one day,” he added.

“(I am) availing of judicial review against an order issued in grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction,” Roque, meanwhile, said in a text message to The STAR.

Panel co-chair and Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez condemned Roque’s evasive actions, underscoring that his blatant disregard for the House’s authority is a direct challenge to the institution.

Another committee co-chair, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, said Roque’s refusal to cooperate only deepens suspicions regarding his involvement in the illegal activities in some POGO hubs.

The committee has urged the public to provide any information on Roque’s whereabouts to aid law enforcement.

Quad committee member Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said Roque may be prevented from leaving the country if he fails to show up on Thursday at the hearing of the panel.

Pimentel said the quad committee may ask the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to issue a hold departure against Roque if the latter again skips the next hearing – the sixth on the issue – and evades the “order of detention” issued by the panel.

“So I strongly suggest to Mr. Harry Roque, for him to appear, we will have another hearing this coming Thursday so that he could shed light on the different questions that arise from his involvement in POGO, more specifically in Lucky South 99,” Pimentel said in an interview with ANC.

The panel branded Roque as a “fugitive” for failing to fulfill his commitment to submit some documents related to POGO operations.

Last week, the House’s Sergeant-at-Arms served the order to his law office in Salcedo Village, Makati but went away empty handed.

Pimentel said the committee secretariat has not received any “pertinent documents” from Roque.

He also revealed the committee also considers issuing a “show cause order” to Roque’s wife Myla, who also snubbed an invitation to appear before the committee.

“She has not appeared so most probably or highly likely during the next hearing, we will already move for a show cause order to Mrs. Myla Roque, why she does not want to appear in our committee,” Pimentel added.

He explained that Myla Roque’s participation in the probe is crucial because her signature is on the lease contract for a house in Tuba, Benguet where two Chinese nationals linked to POGO were arrested.

The house is “owned by a cor poration, and that corporation is owned by a corporation wherein Harry Roque is a majority stakehold er, so in effect it is Harry Roque who owns the house actually,” Pimentel said. — Sheila Crisostomo, Delon Porcalla, Mark Ernest Villeza